July 3, 2007

Former pitching standout Kevin Mulvey has been added to the U.S. roster for this weekend's XM All-Star Futures Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The ninth annual showcase of top minor league prospects is being held as part of Taco Bell All-Star Sunday during festivities for the 78th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Mulvey was the top draft pick by the New York Mets in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft after pitching three collegiate seasons for the Wildcats. In his first full season at the professional level, Mulvey is pitching for the Double-A level Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League. Already named to the league's North Division All-Star team, Mulvey currently sports a 3.40 ERA in 92 2/3 innings pitched over 17 starts. He has allowed 94 hits while walking 28 and striking out 60, and owns a 6-8 record.

After signing with the Mets last August, Mulvey made three starts for Binghamton prior to the end of the 2006 season, and spent part of spring training this year with the major league squad. He currently leads the Binghamton pitching staff in strikeouts and innings pitched and is tied for the team lead in wins. In a span of 11 starts in April and June, Mulvey compiled a 2.80 ERA in 64 1/3 innings, going 4-4 with 40 strikeouts.

The All-Star Futures Game on Sunday begins at 4 p.m. EST and will be televised by ESPN2. Coverage will also be on the radio on XM Radio channel 176 beginning at 3:30 p.m. This will mark the third straight season that XM provides live coverage of the Futures game. The U.S. squad will be coached by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.

From the first eight All-Star Futures Games from 1999-2006, there are 122 players currently on the rosters of Major League clubs. There have been 31 players who have appeared in both the Futures Game and the Major League All-Star Game. That list includes 2007 All-Stars Carl Crawford (Devil Rays), Victor Martinez, C.C. Sabathia and Grady Sizemore (Indians), Francisco Rodriguez (Angels), Alex Rios (Blue Jays), Chase Utley (Phillies), David Wright and Jose Reyes (Mets), Francisco Cordero and Ben Sheets (Brewers), Brad Penny (Dodgers), Alfonso Soriano (Cubs) and Miguel Cabrera (Marlins).

During his Villanova career, Mulvey was a three-year member of the weekend starting rotation, making 41 starts, including eight complete games and a no-hitter against BIG EAST foe Connecticut during his sophomore season. Mulvey won 14 games and compiled 222 strikeouts for the Wildcats, the most in a three-year period in school history. As a junior last season, he compiled a 3.61 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 92.1 innings, and became the 62nd overall pick in the major league draft.

Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the 30 Major League Clubs, MLB.com and Baseball America, selected the 25-man rosters for each club, the U.S. Team and the World Team. Each Major League organization is represented and the World Team features players from 11 different countries and territories. Players from all full-season Minor Leagues were eligible to participate. The XM All-Star Futures Game will end after seven innings, regardless of the score. Players and coaches will be outfitted in special XM All-Star Futures Game jerseys and will wear the caps of their Major League organization with an XM All-Star Futures Game logo embroidered on the side.

NOTES: The Eastern League All-Star Game will be held on Wednesday, July 11 at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut ... The site is home to the Connecticut Defenders, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants organization.